Before the Party
by luv2write
Summary: A prologue of sorts to "Frank's Desire." What were Eva's relationships like before the costume party? Were she and Frank destined to find each other?
1. Eva and John, a Sister's Concern

            _Ah, the Frank and Eva "franchise" continues.  Believe me, when I first started writing about this couple, I was only planning on writing **one **story…so much for that, but that's O.K., they seem to be a well-received couple.  *s* _

_     This story is a prologue of sorts for "Frank's Desire."  I wanted to set up the relationships that Eva had with her fiancé and her sister before the night at the costume party.  I am going to be writing a story that takes place after "Frank's Desire Part 2" and this will help to set things up for that as well.  Also, I wanted to hint a little that Frank and Eva were meant to find each other and it fit in quite well here.  There is a slight overlap between this story and "Frank's Desire."  You'll see what I mean at the end of chapter 7, but what's happening should be very straightforward Enjoy!  Please R/R_

_***_

Eva woke up as harsh sunlight filtered through the window.  She rolled over in bed to find John still asleep.  She sighed and carefully crawled out of bed; the last thing she wanted was to wake him up and have him be in a foul mood with her.  There had been a lot of that lately.

            She walked into the bathroom and started the shower.  John had been coming home from work late each night.  He worked for a law firm and insisted that they had been swamped with cases.  Eva always had a meal waiting for him when he returned home, but he hardly seemed to notice. 

            The wedding was only a couple of months away; John wanted no part of the planning.  In fact, at times Eva was unsure of whether or not he actually wanted to get married at all.  His romantic side had all but disappeared and his interest in her seemed to be waning.  Eva tried to make herself believe that it was temporary and that when things at the firm slowed down, everything would be fine once again.

            After she showered and dressed, she snuck out of the apartment without disturbing John, who was still asleep.  She was to meet her sister, Sarah, to pick out the bridesmaid dresses for the wedding.  She drove downtown to Celia's Dress Shoppe.

            "Eva, please don't make me wear taffeta," Sarah whined.  "Please, please, please!"

            "Taffeta?  What is this, nineteen eighty-four?"  Eva laughed.  "Chiffon sound better?"

            "Much."  Sarah disappeared into the fitting room with a sky blue spaghetti strapped gown.  A few moments later she emerged.  

Eva smiled.  "That's it; that's the one.  You look beautiful in it!"

            Sarah looked in the mirror and smiled as well.  "Not too shabby."  She took a deep breath and looked at her sister.  "Eva, are you sure that this is what you want?"

            "It's gorgeous, why wouldn't I?"

"Not the dress, sis…John.  Are you two O.K.?"

Eva quickly started shuffling about the on of the dress racks.  "Of course.  We're fine.  Why do you ask?"

"You're not happy, Eva.  I know you and you seem…miserable."  Sarah put her hand on her younger sister's shoulder.  "You were a lot happier this time last year, but now…"

Eva looked at her sister and smiled.  "Things couldn't be better," she lied.  "Really.  I know that you're probably just looking out for me but…"

"Mom's noticed too, Eva…"  

"John's been stressed at work and we haven't had much time together, that's all."

Sarah then decided not to push the issue.  "O.K., I'll believe you if you want me to."

"I do."  With that, the conversation was terminated.


	2. Frank Needs A Break

Frank was busy in his lab.  He was scratching down notes in a journal so rapidly that perspiration was forming on his forehead.  

"Master," Riff Raff said upon entering the lab.  Frank didn't hear him.  "Master," he said again.  Frank's ears perked.  "You've been in here for quite some time.  Perhaps you should…rest a while?"

Frank looked up from his notes.  His eyes were bloodshot and his face looked quite drawn.  "For once, Riff Raff, I believe that you're right.  I've been at this for days and some of it's starting to, well, stop making sense.  I shall retire for a while, please, let no one disrupt me."

"Yes, master, as you wish."

Frank wearily left the lab and made his way to his bedchambers.  A small smile crossed his face as his bed came into view.  "One can't carry out missions without proper rest," he said to himself.

He crawled beneath the satin sheets and was asleep almost immediately.  Frank didn't mind sleeping alone every once in a while, it freed his mind to slip into a few "erotic nightmares" that would sometimes teach him new ways to revel in the "sins of the flesh."  This evening, however, no such subconscious thoughts in that specific manner manifested.  There were indeed dreams, but they were far from nightmares.

Frank found himself in a room, but was unable to see anything.  At first, he felt as though he'd lost his sight, but within a few moments he realized that he was simply in a room in which the lights were out.  He felt that he was on a bed, perhaps even his own, and that he wasn't alone.  Upon simple examination, he found the figure beside him to be a woman.  A smile crossed his lips.

He could hear her breathe, but she didn't speak a word…Frank himself attempted to speak, but nothing would come out of his mouth.  He began to touch the woman's body, she responded by moving closer to him.  His thoughts were, quite simply, to have sex with this woman.  Why wouldn't he?  That's just what he would do in this situation.  However, he found himself not unable to do so, but soon, not wanting to do so.  Instead, he rested his head on her chest and listened to her heartbeat.  And that was that.  He just stayed next to this woman and felt warm, comfortable, content…

When Frank awoke, he said to himself, "I _must_ be exhausted if I can't even partake in sex in a _dream_."  He made the decision that a break from his work was needed.  He called Riff Raff to his room.  "Riff Raff, I feel that I've been focusing on work a bit too much lately, it's affecting my ability to fully concentrate.  I need to unwind a bit.  Arrange a party of some sort for this evening…the few earthlings that have been here in the past may attend."

Riff Raff obeyed.  He began to make the arrangements while Frank tried to get a bit more sleep.


	3. A Loving Sister?

Sarah walked into her favorite watering hole, Blue Note.  She was meeting a couple of her coworkers for drinks.  She tried to persuade Eva to join her, but she declined saying that she wanted to be home in case John was done with work early.  It was a good thing that Eva didn't go.

As Sarah walked toward the bar she saw John.  For a fraction of a second, she thought that perhaps he was there with Eva, but she knew that probably wasn't the case.  She shook her head and approached him.  Tapping him on the shoulder she said, "Working late?"

He turned around.  "Sarah…uh…hi.  I, um…"

"You know there's someone in your apartment waiting for you to come home?"

"I just needed a break from work, you know?  I'm going back to the office and…"

"Don't lie to me, John."  She then bent down and kissed him deeply.  "I almost brought her here you know."

John pulled her onto his lap.  "I didn't know you were coming here…I just didn't feel like going home."

"Hope you lie to her better than you lie to me.  I still don't know why you're going through with this marriage, John, I'm trying to talk her out of it."

"Are you kidding?  God, she's perfect wife material, and you know how the firm likes a strong 'family image.'"

"And I'm?"

"You don't wanna get married and you're not really…you're not like Eva.  Good thing you're a tomcat in the sack though."

"You're horrible!" she said, playfully hitting him.

"Me?  You're sleeping with your sister's fiancé, I think that makes you worse than me by far."

Sarah and John had been having an affair for a couple of months.  At first, Sarah had no guilt about Eva whatsoever.  She was jealous of her sister and John's interest in her made her feel like she was finally just a little bit better than Eva.  Eva had finished college, where as Sarah dropped out.  Eva was the youngest, so the attention always seemed to go in her direction.  Now Eva was getting married before her and to a very successful, attractive man.  Eva had one flaw though: she tried too hard with John; she was determined to make a happy life for him, when, in reality, she was nothing more than his trophy.  

Any man in Denton would have sold their soul to be with Eva Royce.  She was bright, caring, and one of the most beautiful women in town.  She met John while she was in college and his peers immediately put him on a pedestal for "snagging" her.  He _was_ happy with her for several years and he eventually proposed.  However, as soon as the reality of Eva being the only woman in his life set in, he, like other shallow males, decided that wasn't enough.  He didn't mean for the "other woman" to be Eva's own sister, it just _happened_.  

At first, Sarah was too excited by the fact that John Trafford wanted _her_ to give Eva another thought.  She could satisfy what Eva couldn't (not that Eva lacked as a lover, quite the contrary, but John didn't want to partake in monogamy) and she reveled in it.  Lately though, seeing how miserable her sister was, she was starting to feel a bit remorseful…she didn't want to give John up, she just didn't want her sister to be unhappy for the rest of her life.  She tried to drop hints, but Eva never wanted to fail at anything, including relationships, and just ignored her sister's "concerns."

Sarah blew off her coworkers and she and John went back to her apartment.


	4. Content To Dream

The castle was filled with both Transylvanians and "earthlings" by ten o'clock.  Only about a dozen or so residents of Denton knew of the castle and were very "privileged" to be in Frank's residence.  One of those people was Stuart Friedmund.  He had actually managed to become a good acquaintance of Frank's (platonically) and sometimes got rather "lucky" on the nights he was at the castle.

"Frank," Stuart said, spotting him in the crowd.  "Tomorrow the party's at my place, O.K.?  Why don't you come, get out of this place for a while?  I never see you in town."

"Your place?  Like this?"  Frank looked down at his attire.

"That's the thing, I'm having a costume party; you won't stick out in the least."

Frank laughed.  "Well, I like sticking out a _little_."  He gave the idea some thought.  "A costume party?…Hm, intriguing…all right Stuart, I'll come."

Stuart, slowing becoming distracted by a blonde woman rubbing her body against his, smiled at Frank.  "See you then," he said letting the girl lead him away from the crowd.

Frank tried to enjoy himself, but he was just too tired for his guests.  He thought that the party was what he needed to rejuvenate his mind as well as his body, but he was mistaken.  He slipped away to his bedroom and locked the door.  

Again he sought the sanctuary of his bed…and of sleep.  After all, he was going to see earthlings in _their_ environment rather than _his_ the next day; he had to be in peak form to make his observations…and perform his "experimentations."

As he drifted off, he again found himself in a dark room, lying next to someone.  He could sense that it was the same woman from the night before.  He could feel her hands running down the length of his chest.  He thought that perhaps this dream would differ greatly from the first.  She caressed him, almost soothing him in a way.  She pulled him close to her and she kissed his lips.  It was almost as if she melted into him; his body warmed and the tension he had coursing through him slipped away.  He wanted her with every fiber of his being, but he found himself letting her rest her head on him much the same way he did on her the night before.  He lovingly kissed her forehead, then, just as the previous night, he fell asleep in his dream, content to have someone in his embrace.


	5. Strangers Or Soulmates?

Eva lay face down on her bed, sobbing into a pillow.  Thoughts swirled in her head.  "Why can't John spare any time for me?  Aren't I making him happy anymore?"  She lifted her head up long enough to glance at the clock; it was one thirty in the morning.  She knew that he couldn't possibly be working so late.  She eventually cried herself to sleep.

            When Eva dreamt at night, the images in her head were usually vivid and crisp and _very_ realistic.  Tonight, however, her dream appeared to be empty.  She only saw blackness and for a moment she was confused; she thought that she hadn't fallen asleep after all and that perhaps the power in the apartment had gone out…she then realized that she wasn't alone.  She felt her head rise and fall ever so slightly…she was resting on someone's chest.  Had John finally come home?  No.  She knew it wasn't John, but it was a man.

            She ran her hands along the stranger's chest; it felt strong and there was a warmth radiating from it that she found to be very comforting.  The stranger let out a satisfied sigh, shifted slightly, then kissed her forehead.  Eva smiled.  She didn't care who she was lying next to; that one small gesture had sent a surge of happiness through her body that she hadn't felt in almost a year.  She placed her head back onto the stranger's chest and fell into a sleep so deep that she never heard John stumble into their apartment.

            When she woke up in the morning, she had no memory of what she had dreamt…she did however wake up smiling.

            "What's with you?" John asked holding his head.

            Eva was startled to see him.  "Nothing," she replied drowsily.  "What happened to you last night?  I waited up for you as long as I could."

            "Things were so hectic, baby.  We finished up around twelve thirty and we all went and had a couple drinks to celebrate."

            Eva wasn't sure whether or not she believed his story.  "So," she asked in a hopeful voice, "you can go to Stuart's tonight?"

            "I promised you we'd go, didn't I?"

            "Well, you know, with you being so busy and all I wasn't sure if you still could…"

            He kissed the top of her head.  "We're going."  Even though it was a kiss on the head, to Eva, it still felt forced.

            "Well, what are you going as?  I didn't bother making a costume for you because you never told me what you wanted to be."

            John sighed.  "Oh, I forgot.  I'll just go rent something downtown."  

            "Most of Denton's going to be at Stuart's tonight," Eva laughed, "you should call and see if there's anything left."

            John took her advice and called.  "An ape suit?  That's all that's left in my size?  Ya, O.K., I'll be by later on to pick it up.  Thanks."  He hung up the phone and rolled his eyes.  "An ape, Eva?  Can't you whip something up for me?"

            "Sorry, John.  If you would've said something, then you'd have a costume…now you're 'Ape Boy,'" she laughed.

            He grabbed her waist and pulled her in close.  "Me King Kong," he said, actually being playful with her.  He got on top of her and started to kiss her neck and ran his hands up her thighs.  Eva kissed him once, then pushed him off.

            "Rotten timing, John, I have research to do for that article I'm writing.  I have an interview scheduled at the hospital for one o'clock."  John frowned as Eva disappeared into the bathroom.  


	6. Preparations

Frank rolled around in his bed, fighting to stay asleep just a while longer.  He didn't want to leave the darkness, the woman, the new comfort he'd found…eventually, he lost the battle.  As his eyes adjusted to the light, the dream faded, along with his memories of the first one.  

Frank felt disorientated, not knowing how long he was asleep, not knowing why he felt so rejuvenated and relaxed…he just savored the feeling and rolled out of bed.  He was very much looking forward to Stuart's party; he was sure that he was in for a night of fabulous sex; especially with his newfound energy…he couldn't wait.

He spent most of the day pampering his body.  He indulged in a manicure, a pedicure, a long luxurious bath…he wanted to be at his most irresistible…and he was.  He chose his best outfit and then began to apply his makeup.  

He would, of course, have to be fashionably late to the party.  After all, everyone would be in costume; an "entrance" would be the only real way to get everyone's attention.


	7. Betrayal

Eva returned from her interview and saw John's costume lying on the couch.  She smelled something wonderful wafting out from the kitchen.  "John?" she called.

He walked out of the kitchen smiling.  "Five minutes 'till chow time."  

"You're cooking?" Eva asked walking towards him.  "What's the occasion?"

"I've been a jerk lately and I'm sorry, baby."  He kissed her on the lips and she tried not to smile.  "You're quite a girl, Eva.  I love you."

"I love you too," Eva replied, finally letting a smile cross her lips.

"Let's eat."  He served Eva.  It wasn't the fanciest meal, but Eva was thrilled that he put in any effort at all.  They ate and talked and Eva felt as though things were indeed going to get better…Little did she know that John was trying to counteract any negative thoughts that Sarah had tried to put into her mind.

After they finished, they began to get dressed for the party.  Eva had made her costume, a vintage looking white satin gown; she wanted to go to the party as a glamorous actress from Hollywood's past…a few alterations later and she was Fay Wray, the perfect companion for "King Kong."

"Well, look at you," John said eyeing his fiancé.  "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said almost gushing.  She was reeling from all of the attention he was showing her.  "You should go get ready, 'King.'"  He slipped on his ape suit and they left for Stuart's.

As they walked to Stuart's front door, John turned to Eva.  "You have a good time tonight, you deserve it.  I'll be the designated driver, k?"

Eva smiled.  "Sounds good to me."  John took her hand and they walked inside.  

"Eva," Stuart said greeting her, "you look gorgeous."

"Thank you, Zorro…I mean Stuart," she laughed.

"And who's this monkey?" he asked winking at her.

"Funny, Stuart," John replied.

"Just kiddin.'  You two have fun."

Eva and John spent a little while mingling with friends; then Sarah showed up.  She was dressed as Catwoman.

"Whoa sis," Eva said.  "You look nice and slinky."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sarah laughed.

For a while, everyone was having a good time.  Eventually, Eva lost track of Sarah…Stuart's parties had a reputation for people getting a little wild, so Eva figured that Sarah was off having a good time.

John kept making sure that Eva had a drink in her hand; she hadn't let loose in a while, so Eva hardly noticed.  She was the slightest bit "tipsy" when John's cell phone rang.  _Supposedly_ it was someone from his firm and he had to find someplace quiet to take the call.  Eva spent some time with some of her friends, but after a while, she decided to try to find John.

She walked upstairs and started to check the bedrooms; most were "occupied."  She came across a room and heard John's voice.  She heard him saying something along the lines of, "All right, how about if I do that then?"  She thought nothing of it, so she peeked her head in the room.  She saw John…and Sarah…"together."  Before they could see her, she was out of the room and rushing down the hall.  She grabbed an open bottle of wine from a table next to an empty bedroom.  She went inside and nursed the bottle as she cried.

At the moment that Eva saw the betrayal in the bedroom, she had heard some kind of commotion downstairs, she didn't know what was going on and she really didn't care.  She had no idea that the person causing all of that commotion would take away all of the hurt and pain that was taking over her heart and mind.


End file.
